Falling Slowly
by kia-johns32
Summary: Ashley and Spencer are young and not looking, but disaster finds them.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The story of how I met Ashley Davies is kind of dramatic. In fact, I once begged a friend of mine to make into a screenplay but he wasn't really interested. That's too bad. Because Ashley and I's story is one for the ages. We met at the most unexpected place and in an even more unexpected situation. I was twenty-two, she was nineteen, and we were both lost. Who could've known that the key to our happiness lay in eachother.

I'll tell you the story…

It was four fifty-five when I stumbled into the Bank of America on Georgia Avenue. It closed at five, and I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that I had just enough time to get my check deposited. I rushed over to the line before the teller stations and fell in behind a man of about forty with graying hair. He turned slightly, and I nodded a hello. He didn't offer much of a greeting, only a low grunt, and then turned back toward the front of line.

"Somebody woe up on the wrong side of the tomb," a scratchy, feminine voice said behind me, and I stifled a giggle. That was the first time I heard her voice, and the first of millions of times that she made me laugh. I turned around to a brunette, a few inches shorter than me with a smile that seemed permanently etched into her face.

"Tell me about it," I muttered, and her smile only grew.

"Attention all customers the bank will be closing in three minutes. I repeat, this bank will be closing in three minutes," a female voice said over the loudspeaker, and I peered up, looking for the voice.

"It's just a recording," the brunette said, and I shook my head at myself.

"Right. Of course," I said dumbly. Embarassed, I went to turn back around, but before I could she extended her hand.

"Ashley Davies," she said matter of factly, and I couldn't help getting lost in her eyes for a moment. There was something about her smile and the way she looked directly at you, as if she could see your soul. I must have been staring because after a second, she cleared her throat and chuckled some. "Do you happen to have a name?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, blushing instantly. "My name is Spencer. Spencer Carlin."

"It's nice to meet you Spencer Carlin," she said grasping my hand and I couldn't help noticing how soft they were. We smiled dumbly at each other for another second before I heard a rather annoyed bank teller yelling into her loudspeaker, "Next in line Please!"

"Sorry," I apologized to Ashley, and I walked over to the counter. I swiped my bank card and then pulled my paycheck from my wallet.

"What's the amount of your check Ms. Carlin?"

"456 dollars and sixty-seven cents Ma'am." I replied, signing the back of the check. I then slid it under the glass screen.

"Will you be needing any cash back?"

"No, thank you," I finished. The teller busied herself punching numbers into her computer and I took a glance around. Ashley was standing a few feet behind, with a faint smile on her lips. I smiled back, not really sure why this girl was so contagious. The front door of the bank opened and Ashley's gaze shifted. I took this as a chance to look her over. She wore black skinnys with grayish back cowgirl boots, a gray v-neck sweater, and a bright teal scarf that was wrapped around her neck. It was a simple getup, but really classy. I suddenly felt under dressed in my jeans and a white north face fleece. When I my gaze had travelled the length of her body, it snapped back up to her eyes, and she was looking directly at me. I started to blush, but then I realized that she wasn't smiling or even smirking. Her eyes were actually wide as saucers and she was mouthing something to me that I couldn't really make out.

I heard the teller gasp behind me and I turned to look at her. "Are you okay?" I asked, but she only backed away, her hand pressed to her chest. "I said are you okay?' I asked again, but then I suddenly felt a hand in mine, tugging me backward.

"Don't make any sudden movements," I heard Ashley whisper, and for some reason, I knew to trust her. She wrapped an arm around my waist protectively and turned me around slowly. I stifled the shriek that crept into my throat upon seeing the three masked men at the bank entrance. They each held large machine guns and were walking slowly further into the bank.

"Don't do anything stupid," the largest of the masked men said. "We're not here to hurt you."

"But we will if we have to," the shortest of them said. The other two men, stopped and glared at the shorter man, and he took a few steps back. "I'll just man the door," he said and then disappeared into the foyer of the bank.

"Like I said before," the largest continued. "We're not here to hurt anyone. In fact, we're not even here to rob you." He stopped here to gage our reactions.

"Yeah right," Ashley muttered, and the masked man who had yet to speak walked over and brandished the gun in front of her face.

"You don't know anything about us bitch!" he yelled, and his voice was shaky and nervous.

"I'll tell you what I know," Ashley started , taking a step toward the man. "You're in here in all black, with these big ass guns, and you're yelling orders at us. Sounds like you're robbing the bank to me." I squeezed Ashley's hand and pulled her into me.

"Maybe you should listen to your girlfriend there," he countered, pointing the gun at me. Ashley snarled and gripped me tighter. No matter how afraid I was, I couldn't help but grin at how protective she was of me.

"Like I was saying," the largest man continued. "We're not here to rob this bank or any of you. I'm actually here to get something that's mine, that my wife decided to take away from me after I divorce."

"So can we leave then?" the old man who was ahead of me in line asked. "Just let us go home to our families.

"No," the man answer answered calmly. "Just let me get what I came for and you can all go home." At that the man broke the glass over one of the teller counters and climbed over. He motioned for the teller that was helping me to follow him, and she did so, biting her lip nervously.

At that, the main room of the bank was completely silent. I looked around nervously from the one customer to the next, until I realized that the masked man still left in the bank room was watching me steadily. I tensed suddenly and Ashley squeezed my hand, rubbing her thumb in circles on my palm.

"Don't worry Spence," she whispered. "Let's just sit down." I did as she asked, and as soon as we were seated she put an arm about my shoulders. I unconsciously leaned into her warm body and closed my eyes, trying to silence my fear. For a few moments all I heard was the quiet shuffling of shoes and the tapping of nails against the floor, but then I heard the sweetest voice that I've ever heard singing directly into my ear. I squeezed my eyes shut just trying to focus on how I felt in her arms. Somehow I knew that if I just did that everything would be okay.

She sang…

_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
We've still got time  
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice  
You've made it now  
Falling slowly sing your melody  
I'll sing along_

Her voice then dissolved into quiet humming and I opened my eyes for a split second. Every eye in the bank was on us, including the two leftover masked men. Ashley was completely oblivious. She hummed and ran her fingers through my hair, rocking us from side to side. After a few minutes of this we heard more shuffling and the largest masked men emerged from the back of the bank holding a small box.

"Thank you so much for your time everyone," he said, and I exhaled. He was obviously a man of his word. He started toward the door and signaled for his two henchmen to follow him. They did so, but not without taking a final glance at Ashley.

"God bless you," the old man, said to the men and they each nodded.

Just as they were about to reach the door, it burst open and four cops shuffled in. Without thinking they opened fire at the masked men. Ashley pushed me face-forward onto the floor and laid flat on top of me. I heard screams and the shattering of glass, then feet pounding against the floor, and the opening of a door.

"Pursue him!" a deep voice bellowed and a few pairs of feet jetted off after someone. I opened my eyes to peer around and saw that the bank was destroyed. There was glass everywhere, bullet holes all over the walls, and overturned chairs. The largest masked man lay motionless on the ground, alongwith the one who threatened Ashley. Two cops were racing around the room now checking on each customer. I exhaled and went to sit up, but Ashley didn't budge on top of me.

"Ash it's okay," I whispered, pushing against her but she still didn't budge. "Ashley" I said again with one final thrust, but Ashley just rolled off of me and onto her back.

"Oh my god!" the old man yelled from his position a few feet away from me. I whipped my head around, afraid of what I would find. Ashley was unconscious with a small bullet hole right above her stomach. "Ashley!" I screamed, but before I could do anything, two cops were picking her up and carting her away. I sat there, in shock, my mind racing.

"What are you doing?" the old man yelled. "Go with them!"

"Right! You're right!" I said, scrambling to my feet. I only just met Ashley but my heart was pounding at the thought of her dying.

"Wait! Wait for me!" I yelled running out behind the cops. They nodded that they had heard me and we continued down the block.

"Where's the ambulance?" I yelled.

"Too far away!" one officer yelled. He turned to me and his eyes flashed an amazing green. "I'll drive her down the road to Howard University Hospital. It'll be faster."

I nodded okay and climbed into the back seat of his car alongside Ashley. He rested her head in my lap and instructed me to put pressure on the wound. I did, trying to ignore the blood gushing out around my fingers. I closed my eyes and prayed, although I hadn't done so for many years. I prayed for love and hope and luck and mercy. I prayed for Ashley. I prayed for the girl that had already stolen my heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

I sat outside the operating rooms for three hours with blood still covering my hands. Every half hour or so a doctor would emerge from the operating corridor and glance around the room, but he never looked directly at me. I wasn't family so he couldn't legally tell me what was going on. He would walk over to the nurse's station, whisper a few words, check something off on a sheet of paper, and then disappear again. After a while, I stopped watching him. It hurt too much.

When the worry became a bit too much, I closed my eyes and rested my head in my hands. I could hear the constant opening and closing of doors, the hushed words, and incessant beeping of the hospital. What scared me most was the fact that those beeps could be counting out someone's life. By just listening I could witness the failing of someone's heart, or the bursting of an aneurysm, or their last intake of breath. I felt sick. Just as I stood to leave, a girl rushed into the waiting area that looked a lot like Ashley. She had the straight brown hair and air of class, but she wore sneakers and a t-shirt, and looked a bit more disheveled than I imagined Ashley could ever look.

"I'm Kyla Davies!" she yelled at the nurse, who immediately reached for a folder beside her and opened it. She began to read it, never looking up at the girl, and tapped her pen nervously. "Well, tell me something!" Kyla yelled again. The nurse jumped a little bit at the suddenness of Kyla's demand and looked over at me for support. I just watched on silently.

"Well Ma'am," the nurse stuttered out. "Your sister is in surgery right now, and that's just about all that I can say. You'll have to wait for the doctor to tell you anything more." Kyla inhaled sharply, and the nurse cringed, already expecting another demand, but Kyla released the breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, " she said, her voice cracking some, and the nurse immediately softened. "I'm just really worried and the police are downstairs with some other guy so they won't tell me anything. I just want to know what happened to my big sister." I small sob tore out of Kyla's mouth and she wiped away a tear that had been making its way down her cheek.

The nurse looked at the folder again and then back at me, but before I could wave her off, she was whispering something to Kyla and pointing toward me. I sat up straight immediately and pretended that I hadn't been watching and listening the whole time. I even whistled some, if that wasn't obvious enough. There was a moment of silence and then the soft scrape of sneakers against the tile. I stared up at the ceiling. Then I heard the soft whoosh of a seat cushion and I knew that Kyla was sitting right beside me. I stared forward at the nurse, who had returned to her paperwork.

"The nurse said that you were with them when they brought Ashley in," Kyla said slowly. "She said you've been waiting here for hours."

I nodded. "I have," I squeaked out.

"Can you tell me what happened to my sister?" Kyla said and I knew that she was looking at me now, she was staring hard at the side of my face and it was rude of me not to return her gaze. I sighed and looked over, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Her face was drenched in tears and her eyes glowed a brilliant brown, the same brown that I had seen at the bank. I unconsciously placed a hand on top of hers and told her the story. I explained about the bank and about my meeting Ashley. Then I explained the robbery and that the guys weren't actually that bad. Kyla took this all in with a sad face. She smiled wide when I told her about Ashley's singing and the way every eye was on her despite the situation we all found ourselves in. When I got to the part about the cops and Ashley throwing me down, Kyla's tears started up again so I squeezed her hand tight.

"…and when we got here, the two cops disappeared and none of the doctors can tell me anything because I'm not family." I finished, and Kyla nodded that she understood. She looked away for a moment toward the nurse who was watching the two of us with tear-soaked eyes.

"Aren't these people supposed to be all professional and stuff?" Kyla asked.

"What people?"

"Hospital people. She's been near tears since I walked in the door," Kyla said with a chuckle and I laughed too.

"Maybe it's her first day," I countered and we both erupted into laughter.

"Maybe…" I said between chuckles. There was another audible beep in the hospital and I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I could do this. I had to do this.

"You should know that she doesn't sing for anyone anymore," Kyla said in a small voice. "Not since our parents died a year and a half ago. I haven't heard her so much as hum."

"Really?" I said in disbelief.

"Yeah. You must be something special Spencer Carlin," Kyla finished, and she attempted a smile but the sobs came first. I immediately dragged her into my arms and she shook against my chest, the sobs and tears coming strong now. "I can't lose her too," she said between gasps and I just squeezed her tighter, my own tears falling freely now. We rocked back and forth, just holding each other for a few moments, until there was the clammer of many feet against tile. Then the door to the waiting room bursts open and there were men and women everywhere with cameras that flashed again and again.

"Kyla! Ms. Davies! Tell us what happened! Are you devastated?" They all yelled simultaneously. Kyla's sobs only increased and I held her tighter, glaring at all of the intruders. "And who are you? Are you family? The long lost Davies?!" they all yelled, snapping photo after photo. I shielded my face after a moment, blinded by all the flashes. The nurse had stood and was attempting to shoo the intruders but they only pushed further into the room. I looked up again and was about to give them a piece of mind, when the green-eyed cop from earlier burst into the room. He pulled his gun from his waist, and held it up in the air.

"I'm going to have to ask that you all vacate the hospital immediately!' he yelled.

"Are you alone?" one of the reporters shouted. "What are you going to shoot us?" another one added with a cackle, but Aiden didn't flinch. He lowered his gun and pointed it directly at the reporter.

"If that's what you want, I have enough bullets on me right now to take you all down," he said seriously and the room suddenly went quiet. The flashing stopped, and the green-eyed cop took a step forward, cocking the gun. At the click of the barrel, all of the reporters began to retreat quickly, taking a few last minute shots of Kyla and I. When the last camera man had gone, The cop holstered his gun and looked over at us.

"Sorry about that Ms. Davies, Ms Carlin. We tried to build a perimeter but they got in through the emergency room." The cop said walking toward us and taking a seat.

"They always get in," Kyla mumbled sitting up and wiping her eyes. She looked from the cop to me and smiled. "Thank you both," she said with a smile and I just nodded.

"I'm officer Dennison," the cop said, removing his cap and putting out his hand. Kyla shook it. "I'm so sorry about all this," he added, and his voice cracked some. "I told them not to open fire until we had assessed the situation, but Steve just started shooting. He just let loose and then the perps did too and the whole situation spiraled out of control. I take full responsibility for the behavior of my men," he finished.

Kyla shook her head at this and then grabbed Officer Dennison's hand. "You can't take responsibility for another man's actions," she said quietly.

"Yeah," I added. "Besides by driving us here you probably saved Ashley's life, Officer Dennison."

"Call me Aiden," he said with a small smile and I offered one back. "So how is she?"

"We don't know," I answered, and Aiden's shoulders fell some.

"Well until we know anything I'll be right here. Those paparazzi won't give up. Not when it has anything to do with the Davies sisters," Aiden said seriously, and something clicked in my brain.

"Oh my God," I whispered. "You and Ashley. You used to be a band right? What were you called again?" I asked, my voice rising an octave despite my attempts to contain my excitement.

"Davies Rising!" The nurse half-yelled from her station and Kyla suppressed a chuckle.

"Yeah that was us," Kyla said somewhat sadly, and I hugged her too me again.

A hush fell over the waiting room, and I sighed. We were all waiting for the same thing: a miracle. Just then, the doctor entered from the operating corridor. He surveyed the room again, and when his eyes landed on Kyla he started toward us.

"Are you the sister?" he asked seriously, and Kyla only nodded. "Then come with me," he finished coldly, and Kyla immediately looked to me for support.

"It'll be fine," I whispered, not really believing myself. "Everything'll be fine."

Kyla smiled and gave my hand one good squeeze before following the doctor off down the corridor. I relaxed in my chair and exhaled deeply.

"It'll be fine," Aiden said beside me and I just nodded.

"Just have a little faith," the nurse added, from her station and I smiled over at her. She returned it and began typing away at her computer.

They were right. Everything was going to be fine.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

While Kyla spoke with the doctor I got to know Aiden a little better. He had only been a cop for two years and was seriously disillusioned with the job.

"There's just too much risk, you know?" he said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Yeah we could save a lot of lives, but what about all the lives we take? What about all the people we hurt? Like Ashley…what about her?" he said finally. Then he dropped his head into his hands. I put a hand on his back.

"My dad was a cop," the nurse said, from her station. She was tapping her pen nervously again and watching us with a serious stare. "He was killed when he turned a corner and saw a kid with a gun. He hesitated for a second…and that kid took his life." She looked from Aiden to me. "I'm not saying that the killing is okay, but sometimes it's unavoidable," she finished. She immediately went back to typing away on her computer. Aiden and I glanced at each other.

"What's your name?" Aiden asked, and she looked up, surprised.

"Oh. Nurse Duarte. Madison Duarte."

"Well Madison," Aiden said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Me too," I added, throwing a smile her way.

"Thanks," she said. We all exchanged satisfied glances and I was almost positive that the air in the room had changed. Looking from Aiden to Madison I felt like I just met the best friends of my entire life. In fact, when Kyla entered the room the next second, with her face coated in tears, that feeling was only heightened. I stood and enveloped her in a hug, knowing that it was too soon to ask any questions, too soon to assume the worst. The doctor followed her out, and surprised us all with a small smile.

"There is hope yet," he said quietly and I nodded, thanking him. Gripping Kyla tightly I moved us over to the chairs and sat down, placing her neatly on my nap. If I remembered correctly from magazines, Kyla Davies was at least sixteen years old, but she felt right sitting there, at least for the moment.

"It's okay honey," Madison said making her way over to us. She sat in the seat beside me. "It's okay to be afraid." Kyla only cried hard into my chest and I ran my fingers through her hair soothingly.

Aiden took this as his chance to try. "I swear to you, the cop responsible for this will pay," he said forcefully. "When I give orders to hold fire they should do as I say. Harming innocent civilians is unacceptable and punishable. I'll have his badge for this."

Aiden's proclamation did little to slow Kyla's sobs but I gave him a nod of approval anyway. He was at least trying. Despite his honorable intentions both Kyla and I knew that the cop responsible would get away with it. They always did. The four of us sat that way for many moments, Kyla shaking silently and Aiden, Madison, and I roaming the pathways of our own minds, probably all searching for the impossible: a cure for sadness.

"Look Kyla," I began, kissing the girl lightly on the head. "If I'm right in judging the doctors reaction, Ashley is doing okay. I know how hard your life has been recently. I've had my share of loss too." I paused here, swallowing my own sobs. Now was not the time. "In my experience it's best to be thankful for those you still have. Sadness can only ruin your time with them." By the time I finished my speech, Kyla's sighs had subsided some and she was sitting up straight. I looked deep into her deep brown orbs and couldn't help but smile at their similarity to Ashley's. "How is she?" I asked suddenly.

"Alive," Kyla said in a withered voice. "The bullet pierced her liver and some toxic fluids got into her bloodstream. They were able to get the toxins out though."

"That's great," Madison exclaimed, but Kyla wasn't finished.

"There's more," Kyla said sadly. "There was no exit wound. The bullet is lodged in Ashley's spine, right between two critical nerves." Madison gasped, and I strained to maintain my composure. "They said it probably won't budge, but it's best if they operate soon."

"How soon?" Aiden asked.

"A few weeks. Until then Ashley will have to say here, just in case the bullet moves. If it does, she could be paralyzed." Kyla exhaled slowly and we all took a moment to digest the information given to us. "You're shaking," Kyla said putting a hand on my shoulder. I tried to still my body, but it wasn't working. I was scared. I don't remember ever being more scared in my life. "Look Spencer," she said, pushing the hair back from my face, "I don't know you that well. Actually I don't know you at all, but I feelt more safe with you then I've felt in a year and a half."

"Wait. You two don't know each other?" Aiden asked.

"No," I replied.

"But you ran after us. And the look on your face and the way you held her. I assumed that you and Ashley were…you know…together," Aiden said, running his hand through his hair. I chuckled at his confusion.

"We met in the bank," I said simply, and Aiden sat back in his chair, processing the information.

"Spencer," Kyla said, pulling my face toward her. "She wants to see you," she continued with a smile. "Ashley asked for you."

"She should be with you Kyla," I answered, before I even thought about it. I don't really know why, but the idea of walking into that room scared the life out of me. Before, at the bank, looking at Ashley, I had felt something that I can't really describe. And then when she sang to me, my insides melted. I felt like I never needed to worry or be afraid again. I felt like she could make me whole.

"But she asked for you," Kyla said again. "Spencer, understand something. My sister never asks for anyone. Ever. But she asked for you." I shook my head vigorously. I was already planning an escape route, and not because I didn't care, but because I did care. Because at that precise moment I cared more about Ashley, a girl I barely knew, than I had ever cared about anything.

"Just do it Spencer," Madison said. I flirted with the idea of arguing with my newfound friend, yelling that she didn't know me, or what I'd been through, or what this was even about. But I was smarter than that. Madison was here, supporting all of us, though she just learned our names. I could support Ashley. I owed her that much.

"Okay," I breathed out, and a smile started at the corner of Kyla's mouth. "Okay I'll go." Kyla stood and grabbed my hand, her straight brown hair, swaying in the air. She tugged me toward the door and I followed, though my feet were so heavy that I feared they were glued to the ground.

"Oh Spencer," Aiden called after us. "You'll have to come down to the precinct sometime soon for questioning. It's procedure." I nodded that I understood and continued.

"Good luck!" Madison called after us, but I barely heard her. I was walking through a door and down the hall to the rest of my life. Ashley Davies was about to change everything.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

When I peeked through the door, Ashley lay in bed asleep. She had an IV in her arm, but other than that appeared as beautiful as when I saw her last. She was breathing softly, but her eyebrows were pulled taught, as if she was having a nightmare. I tiptoed over to her bedside and sat down. She was beautiful, curly brown locks that framed her face perfectly and a slim face, accentuated by her cheek bones. She and Kyla were almost mirror images of one another, minus the different hair textures and Ashley's slimmer face. It was uncanny actually. I was going to have a time getting use to this. In fact, when Davies Rising was still dominating the punk rock circuit, I often had arguments with my friends over who was who. They were like twins. In fact, right there sitting beside that bed, I decided that they _were_ twins. Who cares about a three year age difference!

"Hey Spence," a dry raspy voice said, and I didn't immediately know that it was hers. She sounded so small and so far away, nothing like the confident, abrasively beautiful girl that I met earlier that day. That's of course not to say that she wasn't beautiful. When I looked down at her, and my eyes met with that irresistible brown, I melted all over again.

"Hi," I whispered, sitting forward in my chair. She smiled. I didn't really know what to say next. In all of the time that I had spent waiting to hear news of her fate, I had all but forgotten that I knew nothing about her.

"Thanks for staying," she croaked out, and I winced at how weak she sounded. "And for comforting Kyla. She doesn't do well in hospitals."

I nodded. "I don't do well in them either."

Ashley perked up at this, her eyes opening a bit wider. "Why do you hate hospitals?" she asked.

You should know that if anyone else had asked me this question I would have evaded it. I would have coughed and changed the subject or politely asked not to talk about it, however for some reason, with Ashley it was different. It seemed like everything was different with her. "My dad and brothers were killed in a car crash three years ago," I said, looking away and out the window. I sighed, pushing back familiar tears, but then I felt a warm hand grasping mine.

"I'm sorry Spence," she said. I smiled gratefully and gave her hand a good squeeze.

"So I hear you have to camp out here for a few weeks?" I laughed out, and Ashley laughed too.

"Yeah it looks that way," she said, but then she started to cough violently. I looked around the room for water to offer her, but she waved me off. "It's fine Spence, really," she choked out and I sat down reluctantly. After she had gained control of the cough and was settled down comfortably on the bed again, she peered up at me with the most loving gaze. My cheeks warmed immediately and I looked down at my hands. "You want to see my stitches?" she asked in an excited voice and we both laughed. She sounded like my brother at thirteen.

"Sure."

Ashley smiled wide at this and then sat up as slowly as she could. It looked extremely painful, but I didn't want to sound like I was trying to be her mother. When she had sat up as much as she could, she reached down and pulled up her hospital smock to her belly. There was a large bandage on her lower stomach, held down by tape. She peeled the tape off slowly, and when it was all gone, she lifted the bandages all together to expose red, irritated skin surrounding an incision closed with a row of black threading.

"That looks painful," I said, unconsciously reaching my hand forward and touching the area around the stitching. She tensed visibly and I jerked my hand back. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" I said, holding my hand as if it had been scolded.

"No. No." she said giggling. "It just tickled silly," she said and I exhaled. She replaced the bandage and tape, taking care not to laugh too hard at me. "Look Spence," she said seriously. "I know we only just met but I was hoping that you'd stop by from time to time to see me. It'd mean a lot to me, especially considering I could be paralyzed soon."

"That's not funny," I said quickly, and Ashley just smiled.

"You're beautiful Spencer," she said grabbing my hand again, and I blushed again. Only this time I didn't look away. I just looked deep into her eyes for the peace that I knew was there and rested in it for a moment.

"I'll be back in the morning," I said without thinking, and Ashley smiled so wide that her nose crinkled in the most adorable way. I smiled right back, not really sure what I was agreeing to. I just knew that there was something about this girl that made all my worries wash away. I didn't know it at the time, but Ashley was going to change my life forever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I know that for a while now, Spencer has been telling you her story. She's probably filled you in on the bank robbery, the wait at the hospital, the first time she visited me and how I was about to change her life blah blah blah…so on and so forth. Well, now it's my time to interject because this tale is not Spencer's alone. It in fact belongs to both of us and I aim to share my experiences too. I want you guys to know how I felt. Spencer wasn't the only one whose life changed.

Anyway, it's only fair that we start where good ole Spencey left off. Let's see…

Spencer kept her word. She came back to the hospital everyday that week, each day with that same award-winning smile and those blue eyes that could melt even the world's largest iceberg. She was really awkward at first, often pacing around the room and looking at anything besides me, but after two of these silent torture sessions, nurse Madison started joining us. Madison was great. She had a fiery sense of humor and a temper to go along with it, but what I loved the most about her was the way Spencer looked at her. Her eyes would go wide with something like awe and wonder every time Madison told a dirty joke or insulted a nurse that was "man-handling" me. The three of us had become quite the team actually, often playing long card games and eating lunch together. Kyla would join some days, bringing the usual rumors and gossip from her high school and fussing over things like how my hair looked and if I was taking care of my complexion. We were just so different sometimes. In fact we were the opposite of what you would expect. I was the one that wore high heels and designer dresses, but often did very little upkeep. I despised most makeup and only used minimal products on my hair and skin. Kyla, on the other hand, the simple rocker chick in jeans and a cutoff tee, wore more makeup than she could ever need and owned every perfume known to man. Madison often made fun of us for this paradox and Spencer would nod in silent agreement.

If you looked at that first week from the outside, it looked really normal: four girls getting to know each other in a cramped hospital room. Besides the occasional interruption of a nurse, doctor, or my being whisked away for "tests" we were a spirited group, but things were steadily getting more and more difficult between Spencer and I. Okay, wait, maybe I'm being overdramatic. Things weren't all that _difficult_. They were just stagnant. I don't know if I can make you understand how much I wanted this girl, and not in the nasty "I want your body" sort of way. I just wanted to make her smile and to have five minutes alone with her to ask questions and get her story, what made her tick, what she did late at night when she couldn't sleep, what kind of guy she normally dated, that sort of thing. I don't know if I already mentioned this, but Spencer just may have been the straightest girl that I had ever met. I don't mean that in a mean way, she was just really attractive, really feminine with an athletic build, golden blonde hair, wore jeans and hooded sweat shirts (probably soffe shorts around the house), was probably really into fashion magazines and the Entertainment Channel. Normally, with one look at a girl like her I would have moved on with a wistful glance, but the second Spencer smiled at me in that bank I knew I had to have her. I had to hold her in my arms and tell her my dreams. I hadn't wanted anything more in my life. Well, besides wanting the bullet out of my spine.

So that first week was a bust in the Spencer and Ashley department. It wasn't like I expected her to fall for me immediately and proclaim her undying love on a mountaintop. I just wanted her to notice me and how much I loved just watching her move or talk or whisper secrets into Kyla's ear. God, don't even get me started on how much I despised Kyla that first week. She and Spencer had this very affectionate relationship that involved a lot of hugging, rubbing of cheeks, and secret whispering. It was unnerving, but I didn't blame either of them. Kyla was just that kind of girl and she had an odd way of making people gravitate toward her. I used to be that girl. Somewhere in the past year and a half since our parents death I had lost that Davies charm. In fact, I hadn't even been able to properly start a conversation with a stranger until I met Spencer in that bank. In the span of fifteen minutes I told Spencer a joke, introduced myself, and sang her my favorite song. That's how I knew she was special. That's how I knew that if she let me, I could love her for the rest of my life.

The Sunday of that first week, Spencer was working a double shift at the paper store where she created custom stationary. So in lieu of her absence, Kyla and Madison promised to come over with DVDs and snacks. I waited up like a five year old for them for forty-five minutes before Kyla poked her head into the door.

"Hey loser," she said, stumbling through with a large cloth bag hanging from her shoulder. "I brought presents," she finished with a smile.

"What sort of presents?" I asked pushing the covers back from my body and moving forward on my bed.

"Well I brought your favorite movies: Heathers, The Breakfast Club, and The Departed. Plus I brought Sour Patch Straws, Pop Corn, and Raisinets."

"I love you," I said with a huge smile, and Kyla just stared back at me.

"How are you feeling?" she asked seriously.

"I feel fine Ky," I answered, peeling open my bag of raisinets, and popping one into my mouth. " Really. The bullet hasn't moved, my nerves are intact, and these raisinets are delicious."

"What I meant was…" Kyla said mischievously "Do you miss her yet?" I stuffed a few more raisinets into my mouth and started digging through the rest of its contents. There was my ipod, a few more bags of raisinets and then Kyla's purse. "I know you can hear me Ashley," Kyla whined, but I just put the bag down and moved further back on my bed. "You should try harder. You barely talk to her," Kyla said matt of factly and I just shook my head.

"She doesn't see me Ky," I said, defeated, and my voice was almost unfamiliar. I never gave up on a girl, but to be honest, Spencer scared the hell out of me. Yes, I could love her forever, but there was also the possibility that I could get my heart broken. That just wasn't something I was interested in. Kyla sat down on the edge of my bed and took my hand, pulling each finger softly, but never looking at them. This was something we had done to each other since childhood.

"Look Ash," she started slowly. "She's not going to see you if you just stare like a creeper when you think she's too preoccupied to notice." I laughed at this, but Kyla wasn't finished. "You should know that she does the same thing to you. So she obviously sees something."

My eyes grew wide at this. "Really?"

"Really," Madison answered from the doorway.

"How long have you been standing there?" Kyla and I asked at the same time.

"Long enough," Madison replied, sitting on the bed beside us. "Also you guys should lay off that Doublemint Twin act. It's kind of creepy."

"Whatever," Kyla said waving Madison off, and the two of them dove into their usual battle of wits and fiery comebacks. I didn't listen but I could hear Kyla saying loser every few minutes and Madison moving her neck around and around. It was kind of cute, but I didn't have long to watch before I realized what they were trying to tell me. Spencer wanted me too. Even if she didn't know it, her subconscious was busy staring at me when I wouldn't notice. Spencer Carlin could see me!


End file.
